Pattern devices for textile machines



Feb. 24, 1970 N. PICKLES PATTERN DEVICES FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Feb. 26, 1968 United States Patent 3,496,893 PATTERN DEVICES FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Norman Pickles, Bastfield Mill, Blackburn, Lancashire, England Filed Feb. 26, 1968, Ser. No. 712,326 Claims priority, applicatioiilgv/rg at Britain, Feb. 25, 1967, Int. c1. nsc15/00; c0111 21/30 US. Cl. 11279 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In a textile tufting machine, a pattern device comprising a source of radiation, a pattern having portions capable of absorbing, transmitting and reflecting said radiation means for conducting said radiation to one surface of said pattern, a first group of radiation-sensitive cells viewing the illuminated part of said pattern by reflection, a second group of radiation-sensitive cells viewing the illuminated part of said pattern by transmission, means interconnecting said cells with the tuft-forming parts of said machine, and means for effecting relative movement between said pattern and said cells.

My invention relates to means for controlling the loop height or colour of known textile tufting machines for producing carpets and like patterned fabrics. The invention is more particularly concerned with a pattern control using infra-red illumination of a pattern.

, For such machines its is known to provide a pattern drum, the drum carrying a pattern which has transparent and opaque sections of the particular pattern to be copied onto a carpet, and to rotate the drum between a row of lamps and a row of photo-cells at a rate corresponding to the rate of movement of the carpet backing fabric past the tufting needles each photo-cell controlling one or more needles of the tufting machine. It will of course be appreciated that since photo-cells are usualy treated as qualitative devices, such a pattern arrangement distinguishes between only two needle states i.e. long loops and short loops, or one of two colours alternatively.

I have devised a method and apparatus for provid ing a tufting machine with a control feature which enables the reproduction of a three element pattern to be effected. Thus each needle or each group of corresponding needles, may be made to produce any one of three loop lengths. Our apparatus is also such that interference with the operation of the device by dust or dirt on or in the neighbourhood of the pattern is substantially precluded or reduced.

Reference should now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic end view of a drum patterning device;

FIG. 2 is part of a pattern surface, and

FIG. 3 is an end view of a band patterning device.

Referring to FIG. 1, a pattern drum 1 pivoted at 2 is provided with a pattern 3 on the face of the drum which consists of three kinds of surfaces or materials. Thus for example the part of the pattern (FIG. 2) to be represented by short loops consists of an area 4 covered with heat absorbing material such as a carbon black paint. A second area 5 corresponding to medium length loops is left open, or is covered by a heat-transparent material; and a third area 6 of the pattern is silvered so as to reflect heat rays. The pattern drum rotates between a row of infrared cells B located on a mounting 17 within the drum parallel to the axis, with a heat conductor or guide 16 located outside the pattern drum, there being also a row of infra-red calls A located in a mounting view 10 to view the outside of the pattern and receive reflected heat rays from the pattern. The heat conductor 16 is a bar of methacrylate resin or quartz glass, these being substances capable of transmitting heat rays with very low loss. The top end of the bar terminates at a lamp mounting 7 where there are a number of heat producing under-run electric lamps 8. The infra-red cell row A, the heat conductor and the part of the pattern between the conductor 16 and the infra-red cells B is surrounded with a light shield 18 for keeping out daylight or artificial light. The end of the shield has been removed to show the inner construction of the apparatus.

I find that the use of infra-red radiation in this connection is highly desirable. Thus infra-red sensitive cells are available having a high electrical output in the range of 850 to 1100 angstroms: again, a thin layer or sprinkling of dust or dirt on the pattern has little or no effect on the contrast of the pattern as seen by the infra-red cells. We find that this contrast differentiation is better than that derived from photo-cells and a pattern using visible light, especially if the pattern is even slightly dusty.

The pattern itself as applied to the drum consists of a sheet of material 3 of methyl methacrylate which in its unprepared state is transparent to infra-red radiation. The drum is also made of transparent material, except its ends. Parts 4 of the pattern to be represented by short loops are coated by a carbon black paint, other parts of the pattern 5 to be represented by intermediate length loops are left uncovered, and parts of the pattern 6 to be represented by long loops are painted with a silver or aluminum paint. The pattern is passed between one end of the heat conductor strip and the infra-red cells B Within the drum which is rotated at a rate corresponding to the rate of passage of the backing fabric past the needles of the machine, and heat rays which strike the black portions of the pattern are completely absorbed. Heat rays which strike the untreated parts of the pattern pass through and affect the infra-red cells B located within the drum so that any needle mechanisms connected to such excited infrared calls are actuated to produce intermediate length stitches. Finally, when a silvered part of the pattern passes beneath the heat conductor, the heat falling on this part of the pattern is reflected into the infra-red cells A, these controlling their associated needle mechanisms to produce long loops.

The infra-red cells A and B are individually connected to amplifiers and relays, and the said relays may actuate compressed air piston brakes so as to vary the loop length of the associated needles by braking or friction.

In order to ensure that the apparatus itself is actuated only by infra-red or heat rays, we provide an infra-red filter 9 between the lamp chamber and the heat conductor, this being of the Wratten 88a type. This filter passes wavelengths of between and 1100 angstroms only, and "we select an infrared type of cell giving maximum output within this wave band. The lamps themselves are of relatively low wattage and voltage so as to ensure safety to the machine operator should any electrical fault occur.

A mounting 9 for the cells B inside the drum, heat conductor 16 and a mounting 10 for the cells A, together with the lamp mounting 7, and shield 8 are carried on an end plate 11, which is fastened to the framework of the machine, so that the drum 1 and/ or pattern may be withdrawn in an axial direction for pattern changing.

In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the pattern is in the form of a continuous band 20 running over a driven roller 21 and an idler roller 22 with the cells A, B, and lamps 28 situated on each side of the band. The position of a cover 23 is shown dotted to display the remainder of the apparatus. As before, the cell and lamp mountings and heat conductor are fixed to a base plate 31 so that the pattern may be readily removed for chang- Although infra-red radiation has been referred to as preferable to visual light, our device will operate on such light, and the invention should be regarded as being applicable thereto.

I claim:

1. In a textile tufting machine, a pattern device comprising a source of radiation, a pattern having portions capable of absorbing, transmitting and reflecting said radiation means for conducting said radiation to one surface of said pattern, a first group of radiation-sensitive cells viewing the illuminated part of said pattern by reflection, a second group of radiation-sensitive cells viewing the illuminated part of said pattern by transmission, means interconnecting said cells with the tuft-forming parts of said machine, and means for effecting relative movement between said pattern and said cells.

2. A pattern device as recited in claim 1 wherein said source of radiation is a plurality of electric lamps arranged in a row, said conducting means is a bar of radiation conducting material extending between said lamps and a line across said pattern, both groups of cells being set to view the part of the pattern receiving the said radiation.

3. A pattern device as recited in claim 2 comprising separate mounting means for each group of cells, and a common base for said mountings and said radiation conducting bar.

4. A pattern device as recited in claim 2, with an infrared filter location between said lamps and said bar, a cover surrounding at least part of the lamp cell combination, wherein said cells are infra-red sensitive.

5. A pattern device as recited in claim 1 comprising a drum to the surface of which said pattern is applied, one group of cells being located within said drum and the other group of said cells being located outside said drum.

6. A pattern device as recited in claim 1 wherein said pattern is in the form of an endless band of translucent material, a driven roller and an idler roller, carrying said pattern, means for locating one group of cells on one side of the band and means for locating the other group of cells and said radiation source on the other side of said band.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,103,187 9/1963 Hammel 112-79 3,163,746 12/1964 Hoeser. 3,375,797 4/1968 Gaines 11279 3,386,397 6/1968 Ellison et al. 112-79 JAMES R. BOLER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

